Morning Shock
by Lhutien
Summary: HGSS - Hermione wakes up just to find out she had been seriously drunk and that she's not alone... Why can't she just remember what has happened? How shall she deal with the situation?
1. Morning Shock

**Morning Shock**

I'm sorry if this idea has been topic of any fanfiction before, but I like the idea and wanna make more of it!   
  
**_Disclaimer:_**_ I don't own the characters and I don't intend to infringe upon any copyright!_

_  
_  
  
**Chapter 1**

Hermione slowly woke up and the first thing she realized was the bright sunshine that cut through her eyes like a hundred knives sticking into her head. A moan came over her lips as she grabbed the covers and buried her head in them.  
The second thing she realized was that she felt horrible, definitely being hung over. – Which led to her third realization: She didn't remember anything. Neither where she was nor how she had come there.  
  
She moaned again, bearing down the sickness and the need to throw up.   
  
A small part of her brain tried to force her to take a look around to see where she was. The much larger part didn't care and just wanted to sleep again, to get rid of the throes in her head.   
Hermione willingly obeyed this wish. She turned around and snuggled up to the covers while her hand reached out for the pillow.  
  
But instead of the soft cloth of the pillow her hand touched something she had expected least – skin.   
  
She knit her brow's and tried her aching head to manage to find out if it belonged to herself. She pinched the skin and caused a move. But she definitely didn't move...   
  
Her hand felt its way over the skin and she figured out there was someone lying next to her, obviously still asleep.   
  
"Oh no" she muttered to herself. Her mind still rejected to realize what she had just found out, but nonetheless she knew she had to find out who it was.  
  
She frowned upon the thought of uncover her face and let the sun play its gruesome game with her head again. All she wanted was to sleep...  
  
She forced herself to lift the covers a bit and blinked with her eyes. Ignoring the pain she caught the glimpse of a bare back. She realized she'd have to get up and walk around the bed to see the person's face and frowned again. Could this day get any worse?  
  
It took her minutes to convince herself to get up and even more minutes to do so. When she finally managed to lift herself up from the mattress her entire body screamed in reluctance and she almost fell back onto the bed so that she had to pause a moment until she was able walk – at least very slowly.   
  
She could now see the whole backside of the sleeping guy and the pitch black hair was somehow familiar to her, although she didn't remember why. Her aching head just didn't seem to agree giving her the information she was asking for... How she hated it to have a hangover...  
  
When she had surrounded the bed and was able to look at the guy's face she was so stunned that she first didn't think anything. Then she swallowed hard and looked at the face again with eyes torn open.   
  
Realizing who was lying right in front of her made her shriek.   
  
It was Snape.  
  
He appeared to be still asleep, which seemed like a wonder to Hermione for that she had made such a noise. Afraid to awake him she quickly covered her mouth with her hand.   
  
This could not be true. She was dreaming. Yes, that was it. This had to be a nightmare – the worst nightmare she had ever had in all the seventeen years of her life. But although she pinched herself again and again strongly until her eyes were filled with tears, she didn't wake up in her bed in the girls' bedroom in the Gryffindor tower.  
  
Which led her to the question where the hell she was. A brief look around confirmed her worst expectations – if she didn't completely err she was in the teachers' wing of the large building, or to be more precisely: In Snape's personal bedroom.   
  
She had often wondered what the teachers' rooms looked like, but this was definitely not the way she wanted to find out!  
  
Her eyes rested on a magical watch that told her it was Monday, 9 o'clock am. "Oh I hate Mondays", she mumbled to herself and leaned against the wall behind her.  
  
The ice-cold stone scared her up and with disbelief she had to discover something she had not been aware of. – She was naked.  
  
If she had not been horrified before, then she was now. The world began to turn around her and she rushed through a door behind which she was glad to discover the bathroom.   
Only moments later she puked all over the washbasin and weakly sank onto the toilet lit.  
  
The sour taste in her mouth didn't help her feel any better, but she understood she had to disappear. As fast as possible. She didn't know what would happen if Snape woke up and found her like that. The very thought of it made her stand up and clean the washbasin as far as she could manage, then she rushed into the bedroom again, not paying any attention to her revolting stomach.   
  
She had to get out of here!  
  
She collected her clothes from the floor where they obviously had been thrown before she had gone to bed.   
  
Getting dressed she looked for her wand and found it on the bed table. She grabbed it and went to the door. She turned around a last time and assured herself that Snape was still asleep.  
Then she quietly opened the door and spied in the hallway. If any teacher saw her... It would be her end. Snape's, as well, but in this moment she was just afraid to be forced to leave Hogwarts because of the damn mistake that she had got drunk.  
  
The hallway seemed to be empty and Hermione stepped outside, quietly closed the door behind her and sneaked towards the backside of a painting – certainly the exit. She was just glad that she didn't need a code word to leave.  
  
Minutes later she stood in front ot the painting of the fat lady, told her the Gryffindor code word and stepped inside.   
  
No-one was there, apparently everyone seemed to be still asleep – a fact that enabled Hermione to get into her own bedroom without being seen by anyone.  
  
When she was lying in her bed with curtains closed she slowly became aware of the whole extent of what had happened.  
  
She had been drunk.  
She had been in Snape's bed.  
She had been naked.  
And he had been, too...  
  
"Oh – my – god", was everything Hermione could stammer. She cursed her amnesia – she still didn't remember anything before waking up this morning.   
  
Which meant that she couldn't answer her most urgent question:  
  
Had she slept with Snape?

__

_to be continued…  
  
_**Please take some time and review!**


	2. Potions

**Chapter 2 – Potions  
  
**_(Disclaimer: See Chapter 1)_

Her thoughts had been haunting Hermione for quite while, but finally her tired body took its toll and she fell asleep.  
When she woke up again and opened the curtains she saw that Parvati and Lavender were gone. Where?, she asked herself. And why?  
  
Hermione frowned. She forced herself to think (which was had never been a problem, but now it was!). Which day was it? She remembered the display of the magical clock in ...his... room.  
It was Monday.  
  
A look at her own clock – which showed 12:30 p.m. - made her jump out of bed. She had overslept!  
She didn't need to have a look at her time table, she knew it by heart. She had already missed Arithmatics and Transfiguration, and at the moment she should be at---  
She froze.  
  
"Potions", she whispered. No need to tell they still had Snape in this subject. They had always had.  
  
She plumped onto the bed again and covered her face with her hands.  
  
"I can't go", she muttered desperately. "I can't!"  
What if he remembered last night? Or else: What if he did not?  
  
She wouldn't stand this lesson, she knew that. Not after all that... had happened.  
"What happened?", a quiet voice inside her head asked. Hell, she wasn't sure yet, but she expected the worst.  
  
While she slowly got herself dressed, she felt torn. On half of her completely rejected leaving the room and even more meeting ...him. But the other half didn't want to miss the lesson, not matter what the situation was like...  
...and she could not hide for the rest of her life! Sooner or later she would have to face Snape. There was no way to avoid that.  
  
She looked at herself in the mirror with unseeing eyes and her interior screamed with fear. What if anybody knew? She could very well imagine Draco shout it across the school yard – Granger made it with Snape!  
  
"Oh God", she whispered weakly as she left through the common room and headed for the dungeons, her hand clutching her wand.

* * *

Finally she found herself standing right in front of the thick stone door to the Potions classroom with her heart beating fast. Perhaps it was no good idea. She could still get back and say she felt bad – what would not even be a lie.  
But on the other hand... She knew today's stuff was very important for the NEWTs and she was not willing to miss it. She couldn't count on Harry's, Ron's or someone else's notes of the lesson. They never wrote down everything... The thought of being at the NEWTs and not knowing the right answer filled her with horror.  
No, there was indeed no other solution than standing this lesson.  
  
So she sighed, cleared her throat and opened the strong door.  
  
As she entered the room everyone turned around, both Gryffindors and Slytherins.  
Hermione saw Ron and Harry who gave her inquiring looks. Everyone stared at her, and she knew why. She had always been in time, always.  
  
Snape had stopped talking. Hermione avoided his gaze, said "Sorry, I'm late" and headed for her seat.  
She sat down, put her books on the table and hoped desperately that Snape would just go on with the lesson.  
  
Of course he didn't.  
  
"Miss Granger", Snape's voice cut the silence and Hermione winced, "so at last even you have come too late... 10 points are taken from Gryffindor."  
  
A few Gryffindors moaned (among them Harry and Ron), but Hermione kept staring on her table and simply felt horrible. Snape's presence made her unable to suppress her thoughts about him, her and the last night. She was so into these thoughts that she didn't even feel angry about his punishment.  
  
As she didn't protest, Snape went on with the stuff.  
But as much as she tried – Hermione was not able to concentrate on what he was saying to them. His voice reminded her of last night, but she couldn't recall the exact memory. It was bewitched!  
She felt more and more caught in a nightmare from which she just couldn't escape. And the longer she was there, the more she was convinced that it had been a really bad idea to come there. It just left her in pains and did not answer even one question – as there was, above all, the most important one:  
  
Did he remember?  
  
She risked a glance at his face while he said something mean to Neville. Well – he looked just as usual. Either had a blackout that was similar to hers or else he could hide it very well.   
The much she hoped her memory would come back – she also feared it. And she even more feared that---  
  
"Miss Granger!, Snape shouted harshly and Hermione scared up from her thoughts.  
  
"Yes?", she answered weakly, not expecting anything good to come and still not daring to glance at him.  
  
"Look at me when I talk to you!", Snape snapped.   
  
Hermione swallowed hard and looked up – their eyes met. She felt the fear burn stronger inside her. But there was something else, too... Something she didn't understand. Other feelings.  
  
But she had no chance to think about it - Snape looked at her with a frown.  
  
"Please – tell me how to make the Veritas potion."

Hermione knew they had talked about that potion last lesson. But she simply wasn't able to remember.  
There was a long silence.  
  
"Miss Granger?"  
  
"I... don't remember", she stammered and watched a satisfied smile flit over Snape's face.  
  
"So... you don't remember" He seemed to enjoy every single word. "Very bad, Miss Granger, very bad. We all thought you knew everything... Well-", he glared at her, "it was a long night, wasn't it, Miss Granger?"  
  
Hermione's heart stopped beating and she held her breath. What did he say?   
She felt like being about to loose consciousness – he remembered. It was obvious to her.  
  
His killing glance made her flinch. Was that the reason why he treated her so bad?  
She wished she was dead – no need to say that this wish didn't come true. Instead Snape carried it even more far.  
  
"Are you so... exhausted... that you cannot even concentrate on something as easy as a Veritas potions?", his piercing voice resounded.  
  
Hermione could not believe what he had just said. She looked around and her eyes met Draco's. She would never forget his smirk again.   
What was going on? Had he told everybody or what? Why did he do this to her?  
  
Her eyes filled with burning tears. She grabbed her books and rushed towards the door.  
  
As she left the room, Draco's giggle followed her as well as Snape's angry voice shouting "Another 10 points taken from Gryffindor for leaving without being allowed to!"  
  
Then the door fell shut behind her and she ran away.

* * *

In the afternoon she sat in the common room, pretending to read a book. But inside she was still as troubled as she had been earlier that day.  
She had waited for her memory to come back, but it had not yet.  
  
Hermione pulled her brows together. The last thing before her blackout she remembered was... well – yesterday's lunch. It seemed odd to her that the blackout lasted such a long time, but what could she do? Ask a teacher? – A quiet, ironic laugh escaped her. _"Oh, Professor Dumbledore, I've lost my memory about the last night which I spent with Professor Snape – would you be so kind to help me remember?"_ Never.  
  
But maybe she could find out what had happened the last afternoon and so get to know why she had got drunk. At least a little help. Maybe she could ask Ron.  
  
This moment someone sat down next to her and she looked up – it was Harry.  
  
"Hi Hermione", he said with a worried look upon his face. Hermione knew he was asking himself what was wrong, and she also knew – no, guessed – that he didn't just care because they were _friends_, there was more to it.  
She had noticed the way he looked at her when he thought nobody would see.  
  
Now he was waiting for an answer, willing to help her if possible... ...which didn't make the situation any less complicated. Instead even more. She couldn't tell him, because of his, well, _tense_ relation to Snape that had not improved all over the years.  
  
Now he hesitantly put an arm around her shoulders, but it didn't comfort her. She felt uneasy and the touch forced her thoughts back on Snape.  
  
It was cursed – she thought about him all the time, although she really didn't want to! The harder she tried not to think about him, the more she did.   
  
She was so desperate that her eyes, again, filled with tears. There was no way out and she didn't know what to do – she didn't even know what she wanted!  
  
"Please tell me" Harry said softly, which made her cry even more because she wished she could but knew she would never be able to do so.  
  
"Let me", she cried out, pushed him away and ran into the girls' bedroom where she plumped into the sheets of her bed.  
  
How the hell had she come into this situation?!

_to be continued..._

**Please take some time and review!**

* * *

First of all I wanna thank all of you who have reviewed. You're great! :)   
  
**Draco-Fan101 - **What is so not right?   
  
**Sark & Sydney **- Well, be patient - you'll soon find out if Snape remembers or not!  
  
**shadoewhunter -** Yes, the situation is indeed funny. How could it be not? So abstract!   
  
**IYWriterGirl - **Do you remember the title of the stories where the idea has been used? I'd like to see how they deal with the topic! (Curious as always... ha-ha)  
  
**Elnora - **:)   
  
**Blue furry elf - **Hey, nice you've added me to your Author's Watch List.

**I'm already busy with the next chapter - there will be confusion and lots of trouble... What does Hermione feel deep inside...?**


	3. Telling Ron

**Before you read:** I'm sorry if I mixed up the Obliviate spell and the Memory charm, but I completely lost my orientation there. I only read the books in German so I'm sometimes not sure about how the special Harry Potter words are called in English. :-) But no matter how the spell/charm is called, I guess you'll see what I mean! Thanx!  
****

**Chapter 3 – Telling Ron**

_   
  
(Disclaimer: View chapter 1)_

That evening Hermione was very quiet at dinner. Neither had her memory come back nor had she been able to think of any satisfying solution.  
The air was filled with laughter and giggle, but she didn't listen. She just felt so out of place!  
Harry had not tried to talk to her again – which Hermione appreciated very much although it hurt her to treat him like that.  
  
Now she forced herself to eat a few bites, then put her fork aside. This had no sense, she wasn't even hungry.  
She saw Harry say something to Ron, then he stood up and walked away.  
This was the kind of moment she had been waiting for.  
  
"Ron?", she asked.  
  
"Hmm?" His mouth was filled with baked potatoes – so at least his appetite had not disappeared over the day. But he didn't know yet what she knew. "I need to talk to you", Hermione whispered. Ron made a gesture towards the direction where Harry had disappeared a minute ago and Hermione shook her head.  
  
"No, alone. Do you know the Poisons classroom in the fourth floor? The one that's not used anymore." "Yeah", Ron nodded, "But what if Filch finds us?"  
  
A dirty smile appeared on Hermione's face.  
  
"He won't. I'll care for that." She thought of Ginny. After their last year at Hogwarts Fred and George had left a large variety of fun stuff for Ginny – and she began to like it. So she'd surely do Hermione a favour...  
  
"It's very important. So will you be there?" Ron nodded again and before he could ask her anything more, she stood up and looked for his sister.

* * *

Ten minutes later she reached the old Poisons classroom and quietly entered it. As she had expected it was dark inside, but that was no problem.  
She lifted her wand.  
  
"Lumos!"  
  
And a moment later she illuminated the room. It was not very large but full of tables, chairs, cupboards and – above all – bottles of all colours and seizes. Hermione guessed they might still contain some of the poisons, but she didn't dare open a single one. No risks before she had not even found out what the hell had happened to her!  
  
She had been waiting for almost ten minutes and was already afraid something might have happened, when suddenly the door flung open and Ron stepped inside the room.  
Hermione waited until he had shut he door again, then she snapped: "Where have you been? Can't you just once be in time?!"  
  
Ron rolled his eyes.  
  
"Hermione – I've been only five minutes too late." He smiled amused. "By the way you should have seen the trouble downstairs! Ginny and her friends have done excellent work – I guess you're behind that." She nodded. How else would Filch have been busy? They couldn't risk to be caught by him. Not right before the NEWTs next month.  
  
The NEWTs. Hell, she hadn't studied any book the whole day! She would never be able to regain the lost time.  
As she sunk deep into her thoughts and didn't start to talk by herself, Ron sighed and dared to ask.  
  
"So, Hermione. Now I'm here. What's wrong with you?"  
  
Hermione hesitated and made a decision – she'd first find out what happened the day before, then tell Ron the news.  
  
"Well... What happened yesterday evening?" Ron looked puzzled. "Pardon?" "I... don't remember", Hermione explained and felt stupid. "The last think I know is lunch in the Great Hall. This morning I woke up with a terrible hangover."   
  
Ron smiled slightly.   
  
"Yeah, you had a lot of beer, my friend...", he exclaimed amused and as she gave him an inquiring look he went on. "All right. This season's most important Quidditch match has been yesterday afternoon, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. Of course we won. Harry caught the Snitch after about an hour. I guess you can imagine there was a huge party!"  
  
Now Hermione could understand why everyone around her appeared to be so damn happy.  
  
But Ron had not finished yet. "You should have seen Snape! He was so angry and disappointed – I thought he'd curse Harry when the match was over... The Slytherins have no more chance to win the championship anymore." Ron smiled. "Too bad you can't remember last evening. The party lasted almost the entire night! ...by the way: Where have you been after ten?"   
  
Hermione ignored his question – a thought had come to shape in her mind. "The party lasted almost the whole night?"   
  
"Yes, I said so, didn't I?", Ron replied and rolled his eyes.   
  
"So... this is what Snape meant when he asked me if it has been a long night?"   
  
"Yes of course!", Ron told her and it was obvious that he was irritated.   
  
Hermione's blood rushed faster. Perhaps it had been just a misunderstanding?   
  
"And this is, too, why he wanted to know if I was so exhausted that I could not even concentrate on such an easy potion? Because he thought I had partied all night long?", she quickly asked and could hardly stand to wait to hear Ron's answer.   
  
"Hell, yes – what did you think?", Ron exclaimed and pulled his brows together. "Why do you ask me all those stupid questions?"   
  
Hermione didn't even listen. That's a load off my mind, she thought with relief and she couldn't keep a smile from spreading all over her face. He didn't remember. He just treated her so bad because he was in a very sinister mood. Besides, he had never liked her, so it didn't surprise her now that he had chosen her to blame. Could have also been Neville or Harry. At least someone from the Gryffindors.   
  
"Hello! Do you hear me?", Ron shouted and waved a hand in front of her eyes. Hermione winked and shook her head as if to wake herself.  
  
"I'm sorry. What did you say?", she asked Ron and gave him an excusing look. Ron sighed loudly and repeated his question: "Where have you been after 10pm? You were gone all of a sudden! Did you go to bed?"  
  
"Well... yes." Hermione replied and watched Ron relax. She closed her eyes and added: "But... I'm afraid not my bed."  
  
Ron raised an eyebrow. "Not yours? What do you mean?"  
  
Hermione looked down at her hands. So this was the moment of truth? She swallowed hard and hesitated. But she had nothing to loose.   
  
"I'm afraid I... erm... spent the night with..." she broke off. Admitting to someone else what had happened was not as easy as she had thought.  
  
"With whom?", Ron asked apprehensively.   
  
Hermione cleared her throat. Then she whispered: "Snape."   
  
Ron's mouth opened. "WHAT?!" he shouted in disbelief and shook his head so hardly that his half-long hair flew into all directions. "You're kidding!"  
  
"I'm not", Hermione sighed. "I wish I were."   
Then she told him everything she remembered – except perhaps leaving out a few embarrassing facts like she had upchucked.  
  
When she had finished there was a long silence in which Ron just stared at her with unseeing eyes. She understood he tried to handle what he had just heard.  
  
"Ron?", she asked carefully.  
  
He simply shook his head, mumbling something that sounded like "Holy shit"...  
  
After a while he cleared his throat and asked: "What will you do?"   
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Will you... talk to Snape?", he carefully asked and Hermione's eyes got a really scared expression.  
  
"NO!" she shouted louder than she had planned to and went on her normal voice level. "No, Ron. I can't. I'm so glad that he has a blackout, too – and that I had already been gone when he woke up. But I don't know what to do either. I'm not even sure about my feelings!"  
  
Ron gave her an inquiring look and Hermione snapped: "You better not ask!"  
  
"All right", Ron hurried to reply, then remembered something else. "What about Harry? He's your friend, too. Shouldn't you tell him, as well?"  
  
"I can't! Don't you understand? I think he likes me very much and he hates Snape! They are still mortal enemies!", she shouted and felt desperation rise in her again. "That would made the situation even worse!"  
  
"What if he found out somehow else?", Ron asked. "Then he'd be even more disappointed, because you didn't tell him."  
  
Hermione's eyes glared awesomely. "He won't if you don't tell anybody. And you should better not!" The expression on her face changed from anger to sadness. "I trust you, Ron. Please don't disappoint me."  
  
"I won't. It's your decision, Hermione." he replied. "I can keep a secret."  
  
Hermione smiled slightly in relief. "Thank you."  
  
Ron cleared his throat. "But that don't change anything concerning the question what you're gonna do. ... Any ideas?"  
  
There was something. Hermione remembered she had read about that. But she still hesitated. It was a crazy idea, but the only one she had. And it appeared to be the only solution to get out of this nightmare.  
  
"Well, did you ever hear of the Obliviate-spell?", she asked and was not surprised when he shook his head. "Ron! You should read more in your free time, really! The Obliviate-spell is a very difficult one and pupils at Hogwarts are not taught how to perform it. With this spell you can make others forget certain things."  
  
Ron's face cleared. "Ah, I understand. And you want to use it to make Snape forget the last night? But if it's so difficult and not taught – how will you be able to perform it?"  
  
"I know there's a certain book in the restricted section of the library. If I take Harry's invisibility cloak, I can get there and learn how to do it. But I need your help."  
  
"I feared that," Ron replied and pulled his brows together. "You want me to steal Harry's invisibility cloak for you!"  
  
"No, not steal. I just want to... borrow it for a short time." She saw him shake his head. "Please Ron! I must do this, and I don't like it either!"  
  
"I won't do it", Ron replied harshly and crossed his arms in front of his breast.  
  
Hermione's eyes filled with tears. "Please, Ron! My future depends on this! If someone found out I'd be sent home and there are the NEWTs next month!"  
  
She saw Ron think hardly and he didn't say anything for a while. Then he sighed. "All right, I will help you. But if you'll ever get into such a situation again and ask me for help I won't do it again! Understand?"  
  
"Yes, thank you, I will never ever ask you again to do me a favour!" Hermione smiled happily. Now there was a small light shining in the darkness of her situation. A way out.  
  
Ron stood up and went towards the door. "I must go, else I'll be late for the next lesson. I'm sorry, but Professor Trelawney keeps an eye on me since I predicted her soon death in my last homework." He giggled.  
  
"Ron? I – well, I think I need the cloak this night.", Hermione said carefully and Ron nodded.  
  
"I thought so. Meet me at 1am in the common room."  
  
"Thank you".  
  
Ron had already opened the door, then turned around a last time with an amused smile on his face.  
  
"Well, now that you told me I understand what was wrong with Snape this lesson. Apart from blaming you he seemed to be very relaxed and even- tempered!" His smile grew. "You two should meet more often - I guess you did him good." He quickly went rushed of the room.  
  
"RON!", Hermione shouted and flushed with anger, but the door had already shut. He was unbelievable!

_to be continued..._  
  
Will the spell work? Will Harry find out?  
What is it about her feelings that Hermione isn't sure about?

* * *

**Thanx for your reviews!**  
  
**RavenclawGirl714 -** You see Snape didn't know, but you're right: He'd never embarass himself that way. :)  
  
**MistressMoonDemon, Slytherin Queen, Wiily, strega-in-progess** - being told that you like what I read means much to me, really. It's always a difference it I like the idea or if I can manage to write it in a way that someone else, too, says "Hey, that's great!" :-) 


	4. The Night

**Chapter 4 – The Night**

_(Disclaimer: View chapter 1)_

__

**T**he common room was completely lifeless – at least it seemed so on the first sight. But there was movement in the shadows. It was – Hermione. She tried to find a comfortable place where she could wait for Ron; her watch already showed 12:40 am. She was tired because she had not slept at all, too afraid not to wake up in time.  
She finally sat down on the floor in the shadow of one of the large armchairs and sighed. She could already feel the cold stone floor although she wore her robe over her sleeping dress. She listened carefully and as she didn't hear any noise she grabbed her wand, wiped it and whispered: "Wingarium Leviosa". A moment later she took the pillow hovering in the air in front of her and put it under her butt.  
A lot better.  
  
Another quick look at her watch. 12:42 am. The minutes seemed to last hours...  
She knew she should take the time and do something useful, but she didn't know what. She had thought of bringing her quill, ink bottle and vellum with her, but she was not in the mood for studies (a feeling she had never had before that day – now she could imagine how the others must have always felt).  
  
After her meeting with Ron she had spent the rest of the evening sitting around and trying to think of a plan. She knew she needed one, else she had no chance to make her idea work.  
  
But what exactly should she do?  
  
Reaching the library, finding the right book and learning the spell would be no problem. But the rest? She had absolutely no idea how to get Snape into the right place – she couldn't bewitch him in front of the whole Potions class! Not that she planned to take part in the Potions lessons ever again..........  
What she needed was him and her in a quiet place where nobody disturbed them.  
"Fine", that enervating little voice in her head said, "just like his _bedroom_?"

Hermione frowned. This led to nothing.  
  
She didn't notice that she slowly fell asleep, but she had a very weird dream.  
She was running through the old dungeons below the castle. The other pupils were standing along her way, some of them just stared at her, the others pointed at her and laughed as if someone had made the best joke ever heard. And Hermione ran, she ran as fast as she could.  
She heard the sound of feet rushing after her and tried to run even faster. She screamed at the pupils to help her, but none of them did. She ran until she reached a dark abyss which was so deep that she couldn't see the ground. She stopped and turned around, breathing heavily. She heard that the haunter approached more and more and finally she saw who it was – Snape.  
He walked towards her with his wand lifted and a grim expression on his face. Hermione just knew she didn't have her wand and stepped backwards – and fell with a scream. Deeper and deeper into the abyss.  
She closed her eyes in desperation and prepared for a hard impact which would extremely hurt her – if she survived at all. But instead she was caught by two arms which were strong, but yet softly holding her. She felt smooth lips gently touching hers and returned the kiss with delight. When she finally opened her eyes she looked directly into Snape's face. "Snape?", she whispered and he smiled at her. "Hermione...", he mumbled. "Hermione..."  
  
"Hermione!"  
  
She scared up and looked directly into Ron's face. He had shaken her and his hand still laid on her shoulder.  
  
"Heavens! You've got a healthy sleep, haven't you? And why do you hide over here? I almost went back when you weren't there, but your luck I heard you mumble something and went over to look for it."  
  
He shook his head and stood up. Hermione caught a glimpse of her watch – it was 1:05 am. Again overslept.  
  
She stood up and could not really realize where she was and what had happened. Her mind seemed to be still stuck in that dream while her body was here in the common room with Ron.  
She didn't even remember what Ron was up to and why she had been sleeping in the common room instead of in her bed – all she could think of was that dream. The feeling of security while being hold, and above all the kiss.  
  
But Ron didn't give her any more time to think about that. He helped her stand up and handled her a bundle.  
  
"Here you are. Put it under the armchair on the left side of the fireplace when you've finished. I'll fetch it after getting up and put it back into Harry's suitcase. Use it well! I won't steal it another time, don't forget that!"  
  
With these words he turned around and left. Hermione stared at his back, then at the bundle in her hands. And slowly she remembered. The invisibility cloak. The spell. And she realized she had to hurry. If she only had the Marauder's map... But there was no chance in asking Ron for _that_ favour!

* * *

All the way down to the library she again and again lived through the kiss she had dreamed of. She was confused because she had dreamed of Snape – on the one hand the Snape they all knew, and in the next second a completely different kind of man. The odd thing was that she had to admit to herself that she felt attracted to this different Snape.  
The much she tried to convince herself that it was only because of her dream, the more she felt this was not honest. But she was afraid of what she felt and rushed faster, always carefully listening and watching out for Filch, Mrs. Norris or any teacher.  
  
But she reached the library without any incidents and quickly stepped in. Wearing the invisibility cloak she didn't mind to enter the restricted area and walked along rows of books.  
Finally she found what she had been looking for – and old leather-bound book which she had once seen in the Potions lesson when Snape had used it, always paying attention that none of the pupils could get a glimpse of anything written on the pages.  
  
Now she took it out of the rack and held it in her hands – _Gordon Geronimo's "Spells for Past and Future"_. It was quite heavy and so she put it down on a small table beneath. After a moment of hesitation (she was well aware of what had once happened to Harry when he had opened a book in the restricted area) she reached for the front cover and opened the book on page one.  
Nothing happened. Neither did the book start to scream, nor did it try to bite her with sharp-edged teeth. It seemed to be just a book.  
  
Before she began reading she listened carefully, but it was absolutely quiet and so she bent forward over the book and searched through the index. --- There it was. Page 948, "The Obliviate Spell".  
  
Hermione agitation come up inside her when she read what was written on the page. A detailed explanation of the spell, of all the moves she had to perform with her wand and the magical words she had to say. In one word: The most perfect instruction she could have ever found.

Taking a deep breath she bent forward and studied the spell.

* * *

Hours later – the sun was already about to rise in the east and the sky began to show a light red at the far horizon – Hermione hushed through the halls and long corridors. Her eyes were red and burned and she was so tired she could hardly manage to walk, but she was very satisfied.  
The spell had appeared to be a lot more difficult than she had expected, but this had not been able to stop her. And so she had again and again read words written in old, squiggly letters on the yellwoed paper. And finally it had been clear to her.  
  
Nothing could stop her now. Nothing. She was prepared for the next step – all she needed now was a ton of luck to get Snape into the right kind of situation. Well... and sleep...  
  
The hallways seemed to be all the same to her, and she didn't pay attention to Filch any more, but finally she found herself in front of the painting of the fat lady who yawned even more than Hermione did.  
"Prolongatio", Hermione said and the painting swung aside to let her enter the Gryffindors' common room as she passed the entrance, the fat lady had already fallen asleep again.  
  
All she could think of was one thing: That she was able now to delete 'the night' from Snape's memory. She was so into these thoughts that she almost forgot to get rid of the cloak, but luckily she remembered in the last moment and put it under the armchair on the left side of the fireplace, just the way Ron had advised her to do.  
Then she turned around, crossed the room and climbed up the steps to the dorm room where she tiptoed in to not scare up her room mates.  
  
A few minutes later she was lying in her bed and when she fell asleep she had a very pleased smile on her face...

* * *

_...to be continued..._

* * *

I know it took me a very, very, very, very, very,... long time to post the next chapter. Forgive me – I've started to work, I'm in love plus I've had again and again problems with my computer.  
  
I hope you're not too disappointed that this chapter is a bit boring – it's just a bridge to the following chapters.  
  
Those of you who long for a flashback... You will soon get what you want.  
And I will hurry with the next chapter. Promised. 


	5. The Spell

**Chapter 5 – The Spell**

_(Disclaimer: see chapter 1)_

You might remember that I once told you I wouldn't go on with this fanfic – but as you see, I changed my mind.  
Finally I've taken some time and have written the next chapter.  
At least 4 other chapters will follow until the wholy story is finished – maybe even more.

* * *

A few days later Hermione was in luck.

She was on her way to Transfiguration, but she was late. The hallways were almost empty because the other pupils were already in the classrooms.

Hermione hated to be late, but she had forgotten one of her books and so had gone back to the Gryffindor tower.

Now she hurried.

As she came along a niche, her quill fell down and rolled into the shadows behind a statue, that was standing in the niche.

Hermione sighed and went after it.

The same moment she heard voices approaching.

"...cannot be the way they are now. Those dreadful students..." – This voice belonged to Filch and if that would not have been enough reason to hide, Hermione recognized the voice that answered:

"What do you mean?" – This was no-one but Snape and he sounded more than annoyed. It was obvious that talking to Filch was one of the last things he was interested in now. Somehow, over the last year, the two of them had developed some kind of real antagonism although no-one knew why.

Hermione's heart stopped beating and she pressed herself against the back wall behind the statue, deeper into the shadows. Even one of them was enough to get her in trouble and she didn't want to risk another so-and-so points to be taken from her house for nothing.

"They never listen and again someone broke into the old Potions classroom a few days ago. Luckily nothing is missing, the intruder must have been disturbed."

Hermione rolled her eyes. She had not broken into the room, the door had been open. Pupils met there from time to time, Hermione knew. Couples that wanted to make out without being disturbed my classmates or – even worse! – teachers. So why the hell did Filch make such a big thing of it?

Snape seemed to have the same thoughts.

"Mr. Filch, what is it that you want from me? I'm on the way to my next lesson and I'm already late!"

The two men stopped right in front of the statue that served Hermione as hideout and she didn't dare to move.

Filch grimaced. "I thought about who might have broken into the old classroom, Sir... Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle hung around the corridor quite often..."

"So you think pupils of my house did it? Is it that, what you are trying to tell me? How dare you! Talking about that is idle, you've got no proof. And besides-", Snape paused to calm his furious voice, "I have to go to my classroom. As I already told you, I'm late." His voice was cold and hostile, but Filch was unimpressed.

"There are proofs, Mr. Snape. Meet me in the old Potions classroom at 9pm this evening and we will see who is guilty."

Hermione had the impression that Filch tried to sound provocative, but Snape ignored it.

"Alright. But I forewarn you – if there are no proofs I will take care that you'll never stick your nose in any of my business again!"

With these words Snape turned around and rushed away, leaving a fierce looking Filch who disappeared into the other direction seconds later.

It took a few minutes until Hermione dared to move. She took her quill and spied around the statue, but the hallway was empty. And yet, Hermione remained in the niche. Her thoughts tumbled.

Snape was going to be in the old Potions classroom that evening. Far away from the other inhabitants of Hogwarts. Alone. Well, she corrected herself, Filch planned to be there, too, but there could be found a remedy for that. One question to Ginny and Filch would be busy all night long.

Hermione bit her nails. She didn't believe in coincidences, she never had. This was her chance and she had to take it! But she needed a plan, at least some kind of. And so she decided, with a glimpse at her watch that showed her she was more than late now, to skip Transfiguration and use the time to plan her 'modus operandi'.

When she realized what she was doing she shook her head in disbelief. She was skipping a lesson! Well, to be precise, a double-lesson. She sighed and went down the corridor. She'd make a call on Poppy on her way to the Gryffindor tower and tell her she had stomach cramps or so to be excused for the Transfiguration lessons.

Again she sighed as she realized how much she had changed; how much that night had changed her. And again she had to face the question where this whole thing would lead her. She hoped for the best while deep inside she had the feeling it was to nothing good...

* * *

She was still in thoughts at lunch, but her mood had improved – she didn't even mind that baked potatoes were for eats again.

Sitting in front of her plate she reflected the last hours. She had played all possibilities through in her mind and the much she had wanted to write her ideas down, the much she had feared her notes could betray her if someone found them.

But now she was done.

A shadow fell on her plate and she looked up to see Ron sitting down next to her.

"What's up?" he asked while he placed his brimful plate on the wooden table. "I heard you missed Transfiguration."

"Erm... yes. I have been busy." She shook her head when he wanted to say something. Then she turned her head left and right to make sure nobody was listening and went on.

"Ron, I've got it."

"Got what?", her friend asked and shoveled another bunch of potatoes into his mouth.

"A plan, I've got a plan! Well – I think I have.", Hermione responded with a proud smile. Then she told Ron how she had witnessed the quarrel between Snape and Filch and her idea to get Snape alone in the old Potions classroom that evening.

She finished talking by the same time Ron finished eating and waited eagerly for his opinion.

"Well... I hate to say that", he began and Hermione strained, "but it might really work."

When Hermione was all smiles he shook his head. "No, don't halloo till you're out of the wood! I havn't finished yet. It might really work to distract Filch and to get Snape alone in the classroom, I don't see any problem so far. Ginny is quite talented." Pride resonated in his voice then he got back to the central point.

"What I worry about is you facing Snape. It's not just that you might not be able to... well... control you feelings or something like that..."

"Isn't it?", Hermione asked combatively and Ron shook his head, ignoring her attack.

"No it isn't. Believe me, for that I am your friend I know best what a talented, genious witch you are. But I, too, know Snape. He's thrice as old as you and he has been in contact with the dark side. What I want to say is: How can you be sure to be able to knock him out that easily?"

"A goldfish can kill a gorilla", Hermione answered offended, "all he needs is the element of surprise."

Ron rolled his eyes.

"Ok, even if I'm gonna take this serious – lets play this through. Let's assume you're lucky and you take him by surprise. And then? You're unpractised with this spell and there must be a reason why the book is stored in the restricted area of the library. But, alright, let's also assume you're able to recall the spell and Snape is so stunned he doesn't fight you. Have you ever thought of the risks?"

He shook his head again.

"You know I hate to be the one to talk sense, but Hermione! You've such a keen mind... What if something happens to Snape or – even worse – to you?"

Hermione didn't answer, but her killing glance made her point clear.

As Ron realized he was not going to get an answer he took his plate and stood up. Before he left he turned around a last time and with a sad look on his face he added:

"All I ask you for is to think it over. Why don't you just leave it? He doesn't remember, so what's the problem? You can make it much worse with this action. I don't want you to be expelled from Hogwarts because you've used an ancient spell against a teacher. Think about it."

Then he left.

Hermione stared at her plate and the potatoes she had not even touched. So Ron thought she overrated herself, that she didn't know what she did. Fine. Friends - so much for that.

She felt that tears filled her eyes and quickly wiped them away. She was on the brick of winning or losing everything she had and the only one she had trusted in this whole matter had just forsaken her.

* * *

It was five minutes past nine when Hermione tiptoed through the hallway that led to the old Potions classroom. She was late on purpose to be sure Snape was really there; she knew he hated to be late – a common ground that united the two of them.

Her heart almost broke her chest and she hold her wand tight in her shivering hand while a million thoughts rushed through her head. She had asked Ginny to distract Filch in time and fortunately her friend had asked no questions. Right now, Filch should be busy in the cellar beneath the castle, far away from where Hermione lingered. She didn't know it for sure, but she had to trust fortune – even if just because it was all she could do at present.

She also had to trust that Snape was in the room and she knew it had to work with the first try - she wouldn't have another.

So she tried to cool down, recalled the spell and approached the wooden door that was ajar. For a second she toyed with the idea of bursting in, but quickly dropped that thought. Instead she hold her breath and listened. From inside the room she heard the sound of paper being lifted and dropped down again and bottles being moved. Snape seemed to use the time while waiting to investigate by himself. Or to stash away possible proofs for his pupils' former presence.

Being very careful, Hermione poked her head in. Fortunately, Snape stood with his back turned toward her and didn't notice. Hermione weighed her chances up and decided to take the risk, silently opened the door another ten inches and slipped inside without a noise.

She could hardly believe she seemed to be blessed with luck because Snape was so busy with studying the potion bottles that he still hadn't noticed yet that she was approaching from behind.

Hermione lifted her wand and her lips formed the silent words of the spell.

It could have really worked if not...

Snape took another bottle, that was covered with a thick layer of dust which he wiped away with the border of his black robe.

Hermione had lifted the wand, pointed directly on Snape's back of the head and recited the spell without a sound.

A cloud of dust ascended from the bottle and spread in the muggy air of the old room.

Hermione reached the last line of the spell and focused her concentration.

The dust reached Snape's face and entered his respiratory tracts with the next breath he took. He coughed and quickly put the bottle down, but it didn't better. Coughing and gasping for breath he turned around.

Snape froze. Hermione froze, too.

She wasn't able to believe what happened. She was so close and quickly shouted the last words aloud.

"Tercetus solitura vi-" – she couldn't finish the spell, because the same moment Snape's voice resounded in the room and was reflected oddly blurred from the stone walls.

"Expelliarmus!"

Before Hermione could realize what happened, her wand flew away and she found herself facing a coughing but nonetheless furious Snape, and now it was _his_ wand that was pointed at _her_.

* * *

_To be continued... Soon!_


	6. A Fight in the Night

**Author's note:**  
A million thanks to all of you, who have taken their time to leave me a review! I have received so many that I could hardly believe it was true. Just a wonderful feeling which – I expect – every author among you can very well understand!  
Madelynn Rae: Oh well, I've got no plans to die right now, so I won't give you a reason to kill me and so I post this chapter. Deal?  
PhantomPirate: I guess your question will be answered in this chap!  
Kazza: Thank you so much!  
emilie: All I can say is: Would you react normally if you were in her situation? ;-)

...but read on:

**Chapter 6 – A Fight in the Night**

-------------------------------------------  
"Love me or fight me – it's all the same!"

(C.D.)  
-------------------------------------------

_(Disclaimer: see chapter 1)_

_- _

"Miss Granger!" Snapes eyes blinked balefully and he didn't move his wand an inch away from her. He coughed and shouted:

"What the have you been up to?"

Hermione knew it would definitely be the better solution to answer, but her mind was empty and all she was able to do was to stare at him unbelievably.

"Miss Granger...", Snape hissed with glaring eyes and Hermione swallowed. She was in trouble. Big trouble, holy shit. She tried to think, what didn't work, so she acted instictively – turned around and tried to run away. She was sure Snape would put a spell on her, but instead he grabbed her robe and tore.

Hermione felt thrown around and almost landed in his arms, but he snatched her robe first and stopped her. She didn't dare to look in his face, because she knew what would await her there...

Instead she tried to fend him off, although she knew it was a bad, bad idea. But she didn't care about that at the moment. And besides – how could she've made the situtation any worse? In her eyes, this was impossible.

"For Merlin's sake!", Snape cursed and ripped her robe away, then used his other hand to grab her left shoulder.

Hermione thought she was about to die or something even worse, Snape opened his mouth to shout at her again, but the moment he touched her houlder, something strange happened.

With Snape.

He stood still, immediately, he even stopped coughing from one second to the other. His mouth was still opened and he stared at her with eyes torn open. With a slight amusement, which Hermione could not explain because this was definitely in no way funny, she realized that now he was looking almost the same way she had been before – but obviously by a different reason, what would prove to be true.

Then, all of a sudden, she noticed something in his eyes that made her freeze and that she had never wanted to see – knowledge.

With a harsh curse – that she would have never dared to repeat later - Snape pushed her away so fiercely, that she fell against the wall and onto the floor. Her head buzzed and her back ached, but apart from that she seemed to be alright. She would have killed Snape for that if she hadn't known the reason for his behaviour.

But Snape didn't give her any time to think about it, because he quivered and finally pointed his finger at her.

"You bloody, bloody little bitch!", he screamed as if hell broke loose. "What have you done to me!"

"ME? Well, if that's the way you want to handle it –fine! Let's insult each other!" – Now Hermione got furious, as well. "YOU have seduced me, you bastard! You brought me to your room!"

Snape looked as if he would have liked best to take his wand and bewitch her.

"You forced me!"

"Oh, how could I, Mr. I-am-such-a-good-teacher-of-defense-against-dark-arts? You watched that I was drunk and took advantage!", Hermione screamed back and stood up. Who did he think he was!

"This is all your fault!", she added furiously and glared at Snape who took breath.

"Oh no! YOU have been the one who has taken advantage of the situation! You've always been after me, you freaky little witch!"

This was too much.

Hermione howled and lunged at him to beat him with her lifted fists.  
But Snape was fast enough.  
He grabbed her wrists in midair and struggled hard to keep her away.

"Miss - Granger!"

Hermione's fury disappeared as fast as it had appeared and she let go and stepped back, taking a deep breath. This was definitely no level to communicate on, this would lead to nothing. But maybe her rage had been useful to switch her reason back on.

"Alright", she said. And with a cautious look at Snape, who seemed irritated, she added:

"May I propose to talk to each other like grown-up people, Professor?"

Mith delight she could read his mind with a look on his face and after a while of hesitation he saif through grit teeth:

"OK... So, what do you remember?", Snape asked plumply and crossed his arms in front of his torso.

Hermione hesitated. If she admitted she didn't remember at all, he'd certainly not tell her anything at all. Maybe she should play superior and hope this would work. So she tried to look cool and said:

"Enough, Snape."

But he didn't let go. Well, it had been worth a try.

"How much, Granger?"

His dark eyes seemed to look down to the deepest depths of her soul. Fine, and now? Should she be honest? _Come on, Hermione_, she told herself in mind, _think!_ She needed to know if he was able to remember more than her, so she decided to put all her eggs in one basket and tell him.

"I...", she swallowed. "Alright, nothing. Just that I woke up in your bed – with your – and that..." – she could hardly say it – "...that we were both naked. I fled before you woke up."

She had expected him to laugh, to blame her, to do anything to humiliate her. But instead he just frowned and responded:

"Not more than you do. I didn't remember anything, either... at least until now..."

Hermione was taken aback. He did not just surprise her with his now neutral behaviour. He had not remembered. Now she realized what this meant.  
H E - H A D - N O T - R E M E M B E R E D !  
All this… it had been useless. This stupid performance had just caused his memory to come back!  
She was desperate and her desperation turned to anger.

"I thoght you'd remember! That's why I broke into the restricted area of-", she broke off as she noticed she was about to admit a break of rules to a teacher and shook her head. "Forget it. I thought the Obliviate Spell was the only possibility I had!"

Snape laughed and funnily enough it did not sound cold or harsh, but just like an honest laugh that came from the heart.

"God, Granger! Have you any idea how difficult that spell is? Have you even thought of the consequences?"

Now, Hermione felt like a student again and frowned. Who was he to tell her about consequences... He had not acted the way a teacher should. But – and that was also true – she had not acted the way a student should, either.  
Stalemate.

Snape seemed to realize he was not about to get an answer and the two of them stood quiet in the dark room, looking anywhere but not at each other and time seemed to stand still.

Hermione was near to tears and was convinced that she would have given her right hand to turn back time and make all this undone. But she knew that it was impossible to misuse the time-turner. She had just tried to solve her problem by use of witchcraft and it was a complete desaster. _I'm not gonna make the same mistake twice_, she thought by herself and sighed.

Minutes later, or maybe hours, Hermione was unable to distinguish, Snape cleared his throat.

"Well, I do not think that any more of this will lead us to a conclusion. We've had our fight, fine. I could bewitch you to forget about it, but I have intentions to stay a teacher in this school. Bewitching students would not do my reputation any good. Especially not bewitching pupils I have... erm, you know." His cheeks had reddened and he frowned again. "So I guess all we can do for our best is to forget it and never talk about it again."

Hermione nodded. She hated to agree to Snape's opinion, but this time he was right.

"I agree."

Snape nodded, turned around and left.

When he was gone, all of a sudden Hermione felt exhausted and could hardly hold herself on her feet. She stumbled backwards and took place on an old wooden chair, then she buried her head in her hands.She had been angry, she had been desperate, and she had been worried. But now she didn't feel anything as if she had died during the – mostly verbal – fight with Snape.  
And if she was honest, reality was near to that. She was not dead, but her life as it had been until now was over. Within only a few days she had broken years of habit, she had not been herself anymore.  
She looked up and saw her reflection in a small mirror on the far side of the room. It was dark, but still she could see the pain in her eyes. Nothing reminded her of the ambitious girl she had used to be.

Minutes passed in which she didn't move an inch, then she peeled herself from the chair, even though it almost surpassed her forces. But she knew she had to get into her bed before anyone found her.  
While she turned towards the door and slowly walked out of the room she was down in the mouth.

They had decided to forget what had happened, but she knew she couldn't. It had changed everything. How could she ever hide it from Harry or the others?  
How could she ever stand a Potions lesson again?

_And above all_, Hermione thought, and for a moment she was herself again, _how shall I ever catch up on her studies for the exams?_

* * *

_to be continued..._


	7. Aftermaths

**Author's note:**  
I'm sorry it took so long to update!  
Thanx a lot for you reviews again!  
MusicaGrant – here you are. Enjoy it!  
(no-one knows when the next chapter will follow g) 

**Chapter 7 – Aftermaths**  
-------------------------------------------

"Love is a battlefield"  
(song sung by Pat Benatar)  
-------------------------------------------  
_(Disclaimer: see chapter 1)_

_Fuer die Walkueren_

The night in which she had battled with Snape had been almost four weeks ago, but Hermione still had the feeling it had just been last night - even though she buried herself in work. She had hoped it would keep her from thinking about him and it, but it didn't. Every now and then, no matter if she was sitting in the library bent over a book about trolls' behaviour during full moon or if she was lying in her bed, her thoughts freed themselves from her home-made fortress and went travelling – to him.  
Which scared her most was the kind of thoughts. There was no disgust or fear in them – it was right the opposite: What came to her mind were images of his sparkling eyes or his sleek movement. It was unbelievable she even used this adjectives to describe him!  
At first she had tried to convince herself that this didn't say a thing and that it was something like aftermaths of the shock she had suffered. But after all these weeks she wasn't sure anymore and her self-confidence disintegrated.  
I am not in love with him, she told herself, I do not even like him. I hate him. I hate him for what he did to me. He is my teacher. I – do – not – feel – a – thing – for – him.  
And she pretended it was true.

Of course her friends noticed something was wrong with her. Ron still was the only one who knew and he had kept his promise not to tell anyone.  
One of the few mornings she had not skipped breakfast at all as she gotten used to because she wasn't hungry, Ron had taken place next to her and watched her peck at her scrambled eggs for a while. Then he had tried to make conversation, to ask her how she felt and so on, but she had been cool and lied to him that everything was alright – although it was more than obvious that this was a blatant lie.  
Deep inside herself she had hoped he'd dig deeper and ask again, and she was sure she would have told him, but he had just shrugged his shoulders and kept silent.

When she was in the library one day after school, her fears came true. Embodied by Harry, who approached from between two bookshelves.  
"Hi Hermione", he said silently, as if not daring to disturb her. "Have you got a minute?"  
She pressed her lips together, but nodded. Well, she difinitely had a minute. Maybe he just wanted to ask her about their homework for Transfiguration.  
Harry sat down and cleared his throat. Hermine corrected her expectations: He had not come because of any homework, but to talk to her seriously. The air of uneasiness that surrounded him was so intense she could almost touch it.  
"Erm... Well – how are you?" he asked.  
"I'm fine, thanks." Hermione replied with a sigh. Not this thing again. Hadn't Ron told him she didn't say anything about her condition?  
Apperently he had not, because Harry continued.  
"I am worried. You have missed breakfast quite often during the last weeks and ... erm ... you have been so... so... introvert."  
"I haven't been hungry and I have a lot of work to do. The NEWTs, remember?" Hermione replied impatiently. She was sick and tired of this kind of conversation.  
"Yes, the NEWTs, I know. But we think you work too hard." Harry insisted.  
Hermione looked up and lifted her eyebrow.  
"We?"  
"Ron and I. Everytime we see you, you're working for school. We miss being with you and having fun..." Harry said sadly.  
"Harry – life isn't just always fun, maybe you haven't noticed yet." Hermione shot back and hoped it would make him leave.  
It didn't.  
"But you're different!" Harry insisted. "If you've got problems we want to help you. That's what friends are for, and we are your friends, Hermione. If something is wrong with you, please tell us and we'll find a way!"  
Hermione swallowed and quickly lowered her head, because her eyes were wet. He was still so nice and caring, although she had done everything to keep him away. He was a true friend, but still she could not tell him – it was impossible. So she took a deep breath and forced herself to look angry when she used the last ace she had got.  
"You cannot understand. Female problems, alright?"  
It worked.  
He didn't ask her what problems exactly those were.  
"I see. So... I hope you get well soon."  
"Thanks."  
Harry stood up and looked at her as if he was in pain.  
"Don't work too hard."  
"I won't" Hermione replied and tried to smile, but it failed.  
Then Harry left.  
Hermione, who kept sitting at the wooden table, felt torn. On the one hand she felt relieved he had not asked further questions. Female problems had always been the perfect excuse for anything, and men, who felt uneasy to talk about it, didn't ask.  
On the other hand she felt sad and guilty, because he had offered her help and a proof of their friendship – but she had riden roughshod over him...  
She felt tears coming up and let them flow down her face. Nobody saw it.

It was the next Monday that she was on her way to Potions once more. During the last lessons Snape and her had had something like a silent deal – they didn't talk to each other. She didn't participate in the lesson and he didn't pick her up. It had worked quite well, better than Hermione had hoped it could. The other students surely wondered what mystery kept Hermione Granger from pulling up her hand impatiently to draw the teacher's attention to her. But luckily no-one had asked a single question about that.  
No matter how well it worked - this morning Hermione would have liked best to stay in bed. She had hardly slept the last night, still haunted by nightmares, and now she was so tired that walking almost surpassed her forces. If at least there had not been this bitter taste in her mouth – it was awful.  
She was among the last who entered the class room and scuffed to her table where she sat down and closed her eyes, because the world had begun to lurch.  
When she opened her eyes again, she managed to suppress the dizziness and focussed on her books. But as soon as she began to read, the letters blurred – the more she tried to focus on the words, the more they mingled and mixed, making it impossible for her to understand what the text was about. The dizziness came back and Hermione grabbed the table. She still heard Neville who was just about to explain that he didn't have his homework because someone transformed it into a piece of wood, but everything she saw around her was being deformed.  
When she groaned, Neville stopped talking and the moving, blurred heads around turned towards her. They looked antic and seemed to grin wickedly.  
"Are you alright, Hermione?" That was Harry's voice from behind, but she was unable to answer. She just felt sick, very sick and would have left if she had been able to.  
The last thing she heard was Snape advising Neville to take her to the hospital wing while she felt herself falling.  
She had passed out before her body hit the floor.

When she opened her eyes, she frowned as she tried to figure out where she was and what the white ceiling belonged to. And above all: how she came here. The last thing she remembered was the dizziness in the Potions lesson... At least she was relieved to notice that she felt good again.  
"My dear, you have waken up!", a bright voice came from the right side. A voice, that Hermione knew, and a look proved her guess to be true: It was Madame Pomfrey, who approached. Her cheeks were redded and she seemed agitated.  
Hermione pushed herself up and realized she was in one of the beds in the hospital wing. When she wanted to leave the bed, Pommy held her arm.  
"Please, my dear, please stay seated."  
Inside, Hermione rolled her eyes – she wasn't ill. How could she when she felt alright!  
"Madame Pomfrey – I'm fine. I have to get back to school."  
"But you have collapsed in Professor Snape's lesson. Mr Longbottom brought you."  
Snape... Neville... Hermione's memory came back. She had passed out. How embarassing. Not just in front of all others, but also in his lesson.  
She glanced at her watch – Potions was already over, that was fine. She would have to hurry to get to Arithmatics right in time. But first she had to pass Pommy.  
"Listen" she said with a smile "I'm fine, really. I feel good!" Madame Pomfrey's look made clear that she was not convinced at all, so Hermione went on. "I have to admit, that I had... well... a little weakness. But the NEWTs are coming soon. I'm afraid I've forgotten everything around me when I was learning. Maybe I've skipped a few meals..."  
Hermione piped down and prayed that Pommy would accept that.  
She did.  
"Miss Granger, that was not very wise of you." Madame Pomfrey reprimanded her and sighed. "Alright, my dear, I will let you go – put you have to promise to take part in the meals regularly. Breakfast, lunch, supper. Every day. You will need that to be strong enough to pass the NEWTs."  
Hermoine did her best not to smile – sometimes Pommy was really cute. In situations like this it was obvious why she did the nursery part at Hogwarts – she was the most caring person Hermione could imagine.  
"I promise." She replied. "May I...?"  
Madame Pomfrey nodded and Hermione got up. She was glad to find her bag and her books on the floor beside the bed and lifted them. Then she turned to the lady again.  
"Thanks, Madame Pomfrey. Bye!"  
With these words she headed towards the door and as she left the large room she could still hear Pommy mumble something to herself about irresponsible behaviour.

While she was walking through the long corridors that were abandoned apart from one or two students who rushed past Hermione now and then, she was deep in thoughts. She recalled the Potions lesson, at least the bit of it she had participated in. Had Snape been worried about her? He had not even made some bitchy comment he would certainly have if any other Gryffindor had collapsed. He had just advised someone to help her.  
Although he didn't help her himself. But – well... he had had to supervise the class, and: he was Snape. Snapes don't just help, do they?

Hermione was just trying to figure out if there had been concern in his voice when he had told Neville to get her to the hospital wing, when suddenly there was a voice from behind...  
"Miss Granger"  
Hermione froze right away and felt her heart beat faster. She new that voice very well.  
Steps approached and a moment later someone occurred next to her – it was nobody other than Snape. Hermione couldn't move or say something, but she was unable to take her eyes off him, either. Maybe for the first time she really noticed that everything about him was black, except his pale skin. His hair, his clothes – even his eyes were at least of a very dark brown. He seemed as if he had hurried to reach her, but when he spoke his voice was cold and self-controlled as ever. It was obvious that it costed him quite an effort to talk to her.  
"Are you alright?"  
The directness of his question surprised her and it took her a moment to gather herself and answer.  
"I think so."  
What was he up to? They had not spoken to each other since the quarrel, and one half of Hermione was as much relieved about that as the other half was sad. Now that he stood in front of her, those two parts of her fought againt each other and it was not foreseeable yet which one would dominate in the end...  
There was a short silence until Snape finally asked:  
"What did Madame Pomfrey say?"  
"Nothing. I told her I had worked a lot and skipped a few meals, so she let me go." Hermione replied irritatedly. Could it be true? Did he all of a sudden care about her?  
Snape cleared his throat and took a look around, then asked:  
"And apart from that? Is everything ok with you or do you have any... anomalies?"  
Anomalies? What the hell was he talking about?  
"No..." Hermione said hesitatingly "I've just felt sick for a moment."  
"Sick..." Snape mumbled and Hermione's bewilderment even grew.  
It seemed that her confusion had been clearly visible in her face, because Snape took measures to explain what the point was.  
"It's... erm..."  
He bit on his lip and from the expression in his eyes Hermione guessed he would have liked best to disappear right away. She could have sworn that his face was even paler now, although that was hardly possible. When he went on, Hermione knew why.  
"You might be pregnant."

The last sentence had come quickly, had broken out of him in despair and overwhelmed her. In the first moment she was unable to understand its full meaning, but then it was like a slap into her face. She stumbled backwards with eyes wide open and slowly shook her head. Images of babies with black hair appeared in her mind, of herself with an enormous belly in the lessons. "No..." she mumbled unwillingly to think about what he had just said.  
It was too much, more than she was able to bear at the moment. Her breath quickened as much as her pulse and finally her body was gracious and let her slip into unconsciousness, his words still resounding in her fading mind again and again:

"You might be pregnant"

* * *

to be continued! 


End file.
